Staff Report
QUETTA: Balochistan is an issue of massive proportions but the federal government is not cooperating, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry said on Wednesday stressing that provincial government is helpless but, the court should not be considered as such.

Heading a three-strong bench at Supreme Court (SC) Quetta Registry hearing the case regarding the lawlessness in Balochistan, he said the representatives of the spy agencies will have to appear before the bench.

Justice Tariq Pervez said the court is not helpless and does not want to be so, maintaining the court may go any length for the implementation of its orders.

Despite the order from the Chief Justice Chaudhry, the provincial representatives of secret agencies did not show up at the court. The Attorney General told the bench they could not arrive owing to their busy schedule.

Ordering the concerned authorities to bring back the missing persons from whichever prisons they are kept in, the CJ told the AG if the PM can make an appearance before the court; why not they (spy men).

The CJP said if the chief secretary lifts his hand, then, the chief minister might be summoned, remarking no one realizes what is happening in the province, as governor and chief minister both are gone to Islamabad; except chief secretary, no one responsible is here.

Justice Khilji Arif Hussain remarked that it is incumbent upon every Pakistani to extinguish the fire raging in Balochistan.

Addressing Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Yasin Azad, Justice Khilji said as to what the court can do if the government does not fulfill its duties.

Azad pleaded the court to take action against the Inspector General and call the chief minister of Balochistan as the circumstances are leading to 71 situation. The law-enforcement agencies are not considered to be working correctly, if they do not have any knowledge about it, he added.

The government failed to shoulder its responsibilities and there is democracy in the country but they are being pushed to a situation of state failure with lot of question arising about what to do next, Justice Khilji stressed.

The Chief Justice Chaudhry said the spree of target killings and kidnap for ransom is in progress and it is in the air regarding ministers’ involvement in these incidents. SAMAA

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